Former DITSU president announces candidacy for top USI position

news1The former president of the DIT’s student union and the current Union of Students in Ireland (USI)’s current vice president for campaigns has announced his intention to stand for the position of USI president at the organisation’s Annual Congress later in March this year.

Announcing his candidacy on his Facebook page on Sunday, Glenn Fitzpatrick said, “The Union of Students in Ireland is one of the few entities that can give students and young people a fighting chance of a future in this country. I’ve had the absolute privilege of representing students in a number of capacities since 2008 and I feel like I still have something to contribute.” He added: “Moving into an election cycle, I know in my heart that I am the person with the necessary experience, strategic vision and courage that the organisation and the movement needs. It’s a long road ahead to Congress 2015 and I’m genuinely excited to get out there and talk about my ideas within the movement and hear all of yours.‪ #‎GoWithGlenn‬

Fitzpatrick will be the first student from DIT to contest the position of USI since 2012 when Ciarán Nevin stood unsuccessfully against UCD graduate John Logue. With UCD since having disaffiliated from the union, the DIT student newspaper, The Edition, speculated that FitzPatrick’s path to the presidency is likely to be “easier” than it would have been in previous years. Fitzpatrick is currently the only candidate in the presidential race to have publicly declared their intention to stand.

James Wilson

News Editor